Robotics Training, Science, Maintenance for Station Crew

Expedition 32 Flight Engineers Joe Acaba and Aki Hoshide participated in robotics training aboard the International Space Station Friday as preparations continue for Monday’s relocation of the Exposed Pallet of experiment hardware from the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle-3 (HTV-3) cargo craft to the Exposed Facility on the porch of the Kibo module.

Monday’s robotics operations will begin with the ground commanded Canadarm2 extraction of the Exposed Pallet from the side slot on HTV-3. It will then be handed off to the Kibo module’s robotic arm, under the control of Acaba and Hoshide, and installed on the Kibo module’s Exposed Facility.

HTV-3 was grappled and berthed to the Earth-facing side of the Harmony node on July 27. The vehicle will remain at the station until Sept. 6 when, like its predecessors, it will be detached from the Harmony node by Canadarm2 and released for a fiery re-entry over the Pacific Ocean.

Flight Engineer Suni Williams participated in a variety of experiments designed to monitor crew members’ health during their stay aboard the station. This involves collecting blood and urine samples and storing them in the Minus Eighty Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS for later analysis back on Earth.

Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineers Yuri Malenchenko and Sergei Revin worked in the Russian segment of the station unloading cargo from the newly arrived ISS Progress 48 resupply ship, performing post-docking tasks and completing a variety of maintenance duties.

Revin also spent some time working with a Russian experiment known as CASCADE, which investigates cultivation processes of micro-organism, animal and human cells in microgravity.

Over the weekend, the station residents will perform their regular maintenance duties and continue ongoing scientific research. They also will enjoy some off-duty time and have an opportunity to speak with family members.